How To Include Flax Seeds Into Your Diet?

Flax seeds or linseeds are tiny, golden or brown-colored seeds that come with a whole host of health benefits. Perhaps the most important benefit is their high concentration of omega-3- fatty acids, but they’re also rich in lignans, fiber, and other plant compositions.

“Flaxseeds are a great source of soluble mucilaginous (gumlike) fibre that can lower unhealthy cholesterol (LDL) and balance blood sugar levels. Their high omega-3 fatty acids content can help lower undesirable fats (triglycerides) in the blood, reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack,” Dorling Kindersley says in her book Healing Foods.

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For centuries, flax seeds have been praised as “superfood” and can be a healthy addition to your diet due to their health-protecting properties which include:

reducing breast and prostate cancer risks as well as other cancer types

managing your cholesterol levels

lowering the risk of diabetes

lowering the risk of heart disease

reducing inflammation

treating constipation

Flax seeds are available whole or ground. However, nutrition experts recommend ground over whole as they’re easier to digest, but also because whole flax seeds can go through your intestine undigested in which case you won’t get all their benefits. If you take whole flax seeds, at least make sure to chew them well to get all the nutrients, lignans, and fiber.

How to incorporate flax seeds into your diet?

It’s super easy to include flax seeds into your lifestyle and diet as you can add them to your homemade muffins, breakfast bowl or anywhere else. But how much flax seeds can you take a day? Well, according to experts and nutritionists, one to two tablespoons a day are enough to meet your daily nutritional requirement.

Now let’s explore the best ways you can add this “superfood” into your everyday cooking.

Flax seeds in your breakfast bowl

Flax seeds are perfect to add to your yogurt and grain-based dishes. It will give you a nutrition boost and you won’t probably even notice it’s there. Whether your breakfast includes oatmeal, overnight oats, or fruit parfaits, just toss the flax seeds there and enjoy the recipe.

Flax seeds in your homemade muffins

Pick your favorite muffin recipe and add 1/2 cup of ground flax seeds. To get the most of their benefits, grind them in a blender or food processor then add them to the dough and batter. You can also sprinkle flax seeds on the muffins.

Flax seeds in your smoothies

Mix a tablespoon or two of flax seeds into your smoothie to boost your daily healthy fat intake. Whether you buy them ground or use the blender to mill the seeds, it’s up to you. Either way, the smoothie will be delicious.

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Flax seeds instead of eggs

Swap out eggs with flax seeds if you’re vegan, allergic, or simply if you’ve run out of eggs. Interestingly, flax seeds form a liquid that mimics an egg, so you can use the seeds in any kind of recipe. All you have to do is mix one tablespoon of ground flax seeds and three tablespoons of water and let it sit a while.

Flax seeds instead of oil (in baked goods)

Studies have shown that consuming flax seeds every day can lower blood cholesterol, so why not work more on it? You can start by replacing the oil for ground flax seeds in a ratio of three parts flaxseeds to one part oil, which means use three tablespoons of flax seeds instead of one tablespoon of oil when baking.

Flax seeds for breading

If you’re a fan of recipes that include breading, here’s a healthier alternative for you. From now on you can swap two tablespoons of flax seeds (ground or whole) for two tablespoons of flour for every cup of flour in any recipe. Yummy!

flax seed oil has a low smoke point so only use it for salad dressings, other sauces, and dips,

they should not be consumed at the same time as oral medications,

pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should also avoid flax seed consumption as they can mess with your hormones.

*Please consult with your doctor to make sure the ingredient won’t negatively interact with any other medication you’re taking, or if you have further questions.

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